Map Of The Most Perfect US Road Trip, According To Science

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Josh Starling and InspireMore present Randy Olson’s Map Of The Most Perfect US Road Trip, According To Science.

Olson used a genetic algorithm that found the best routes…

This route takes you across the continental US and lets you stop at all the famous landmarks in each and every state.

If you actually plan to execute the trip, you should budget 13,699 miles of driving — or about 224 hours. Attempting to do the trip in one go would take about 9.33 days, although it would actually take 2–3 months to finish in reality.

I love road trips. Every year I take a few, but never any of this length.  Who has?

I did notice the Florida Keys weren’t included.  That’s a place I’ve never been and is definitely planned for a future road trip.  I’d also like to see the area of Custer’s Last Stand and that didn’t make the list.  You can click over and see the 50 locations that did and then start planning your next outing.

Daniel Cullen Leydon’s “Apocalypse Now” Poster

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Once a week Joblo.com posts Awesome Art We’ve Found Around the Net.  As you can imagine, they post awesome art that they, well, you get the idea.

I always enjoy seeing what JoBlo has found because with each post they list the artist’s name and a link to more of his/her art.  That’s where I saw  Daniel Cullen Leydon‘s Apocalypse Now poster.  I love the simplicity and design.  It reminds me a bit of Eduardo Risso.  And that’s a great thing.

“The Terror” Trailer is Finally Here!

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In 2007, I wrote about The Terror by Dan Simmons.  Here’s what I said then:

The Terror by Dan Simmons is a novelization of the true doomed 1840s Franklin expedition to find a Northwest passage. History tells us there were no survivors and the men died from exposure, starvation and worse. Simmons’ story combines all of the interesting historical details and adds a new menace, a creature which feeds on men. The Terror was a national best seller. Stephen King listed it as one of his favorite books of the year. Who am I to argue with Stephen King?

Then in July of 2016 I posted…

AMC has greenlit 10 hour long episodes to air in 2017 with Ridley Scott and David W. Zucker serving as Executive Producers and David Kajganich on board to write and take the reins as showrunner.  This is a project worth keeping an eye on.

You can imagine my thrill at seeing this…

8 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT ‘THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW’

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Me-TV presents 8 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT ‘THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW’.  Here are three of my favorites…

EACH EPISODE WAS TAPED TWICE.
Despite having the feel of a live TV program, each episode was taped twice in front of different studio audiences. That meant that if an actor flubbed a line in both takes, it was still included in the final edited episode.

DICK VAN DYKE WAS A CAST MEMBER.
Although Burnett was the star of the show, she was supported by an incredibly talented cast that included Lawrence, Korman, Waggoner and Conway. When Korman left after the tenth season, Dick Van Dyke replaced him. The lack of chemistry among the cast members and Van Dyke proved to be a disaster, which is why he left after three months.

THE SHOW NEVER RANKED IN THE TOP 10.
The Carol Burnett Show is consistently ranked on critics’ lists as one of the best television programs of all time. However, the series was not a ratings juggernaut when it aired from 1967 to 1978. Although the show peaked at No. 13 in the Nielsen ratings during the 1969-1970 season, it consistently ranked in the 20s for the first nine seasons.

The Swords of Heaven, Flowers of Hell by Moorcock & Chaykin: New Edition Coming!

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If you’ve never read Howard Chaykin’s adaptation of Michael Moorcock’s The Swords of Heaven, Flowers of Hell, and you can’t get your hands on the rare 1979 edition… then you’re in luck.  Titan Comics is releasing a new hardcover edition on May 15, 2018.

Here’s how they describe it…

MICHAEL MOORCOCK LIBRARY: THE SWORDS OF HEAVEN, THE FLOWERS OF HELL HC

Writer: Michael Moorcock & Howard Chaykin

Artist: Howard Chaykin

144pp • $29.99 • On sale Date: April 18, 2017 • ISBN: 9781785863307

Award-winning writer and artist Howaard Chaykin joins forces with Michael Moorcock to bring the Eternal Champion known alternatively as Erekose, Urlik of Skarsol or John Daker to vivid life in this classic tale from 1979.

Includes an exclusive introduction by acclaimed comic book writer Cullen Bunn.

Here’s a link to pre-order if you’re so inclined.  I have to admit that even though I have the ’79 edition, a new hardcover is tempting.  ; )

Dave Wachter Deals a Winning Hand: The Man with No Name, Maverick, Django & Jonah Hex!

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Dave Wachter has another winning hand with his art above.  Click on the drawing to get a bigger look at the poker game between Jonah Hex, Django and Brett Maverick.  Oh, and let’s not forget The Man with No Name who is making his entrance.

The only way this could have been better is if Cheyenne Bodie and Jim West also made an appearance.

‘BRIAN’S SONG’ – Trivia You Might Not Know

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In 2017, Me-TV posted 12 FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT ‘BRIAN’S SONG’.  Although the article is no longer available here are three of my favorites…

JAMES CAAN WAS THE FASTER RUNNER IN REAL LIFE.
It seems James Caan grew up playing high school football and could run circles around Billy Dee Williams, so when they had to film their racing scene, Caan had to make himself go real slow to convince viewers that Williams’ was the speedier of the two.

BILLY DEE WILLIAMS WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL ACTOR CAST AS GALE SAYERS.
Louis Gossett Jr. was originally cast as Gale Sayers, not Billy Dee Williams. Just before shooting started, Gossett managed to tear his Achilles’ tendon. That’s when Williams stepped in and took over the role, shattering Gossett’s spirit worse than the pain of his injury. As the story goes, producer David L. Womper made a big promise to cast Gossett in the next beefy part he could place him in to cheer the actor up. That promise took six years to fulfill, but it was worth the wait when Gossett’s 1977 performance as Fiddler in Roots won him an Emmy and made him a star.\

‘BRIAN’S SONG’ WON MORE AWARDS THAN ANY OTHER ABC MOVIE OF THE WEEK
For airing Brian’s Song, ABC took home four Emmys and a Peabody Award. They also received commendations from both the NAACP and the American Cancer Society. In total, the movie was nominated for eight Emmy Awards. The only other ABC Movie of the Week films to get that kind of attention was The Immortal in 1969 (1 Emmy nomination) and That Certain Summer in 1972 (7 Emmy nominations, 1 win).

THESE ‘GOMER PYLE, U.S.M.C.’ FACTS WILL MAKE YOU SAY ”SHAZAM!’ 

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Me-TV presents THESE ‘GOMER PYLE, U.S.M.C.’ FACTS WILL MAKE YOU SAY ”SHAZAM!’  Here are three of my favorites…

IT WAS A SPIN-OFF OF A SPIN-OFF, OF SORTS.
The characters from The Andy Griffith Show were first introduced to American audiences in a 1960 episode of The Danny Thomas Show (Make Room for Daddy), “Danny Meets Andy Griffith.” It was more of a marketing maneuver, but technically that makes Andy Griffith a spin-off. The pilot episode of Gomer Pyle arrived as the season four finale of Andy Griffith in 1964.

IT WAS INCREDIBLY POPULAR, RIGHT UP UNTIL THE END.
The show finished outside the top three only once in its five-year run, when it slipped to No. 10 in the Nielsen ratings in 1967. Yet it bounced back strong, gaining some of its best ratings in its final season. In fact, Gomer Pyle was the second most watched show in television when it shut down.

FRANK SUTTON WAS A BLACK BELT IN JUDO AND SERVED IN THE ARMY.
As Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter, Sutton set the mold for the hard-as-nails, shouting drill sergeant so common to military narratives. Ironically, in real life, the actor failed a Marine physical and instead served in the Army during WWII, where he proved himself in taking part in over a dozen assault landings around the Philippines. He also had a black belt. That’s some man. Sadly, Sutton passed away too soon at 50 from a heart attack.